1 To wage against thy foes; nor fear to lose it, Thy safety being the motive. Lear. Out of my fight! Kent. See better, Lear, and let me still remain The true blank of thine eye. Lear. Now by Apollo Kent. Now by Apollo, King, Thou swear'st thy gods in vain. Lear. O vassal! miscreant! [Laying his band on his fword. Alb. Corn. Dear Sir, forbear. Kent. Kill thy physician, and thy fee bestow Upon the foul disease; revoke thy doom, Lear. Hear me, recreant! Since thou hast sought to make us break our vow, 1 : Kent. Fare thee well, King; sith thus thou wilt appear, Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here; The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid, That justly think'st, and hast most rightly said; And your large speeches may your deeds approve, That good effects may spring from words of love: Thus Kent, O Princes, bids you all adieu, He'll shape his old course in a country new. [Exit. Enter Glo'ster, with France and Burgundy, and Attendants. Glo. Here's France and Burgundy, my noble lord. Lear. Lear. My lord of Burgundy, Bur. Most royal Majefty, I crave no more than what your Highness offer'd, Lear. Right noble Burgundy, When she was dear to us, we held her so; And nothing more, may fitly like your Grace, Lear. Will you with those infirmities she owes, Unfriended, new-adopted to our hate, :: Dower'd with our curse, and stranger'd with our oath, Take her, or leave her? Bur. Pardon, royal Sir; Election makes not up on such conditions. Lear. 'Then leave her, Sir; for by the pow'r that made me, I tell you all her wealth. For you, great King, [To France. I would not from your love make such a stray, Almost t' acknowledge hers. France. This is most strange! That the, who ev'n but now was your best object, Muft Must be a faith, that reason without miracle Cor. I yet befeech your Majesty, That hath depriv'd me of your grace and favour: Lear. Better thou Hadst not been born, than not have pleas'd me better. Which often leaves the history unspoke, Bar. Royal King, Give but that portion which your self propos'd, And here I take Cordelia by the hand, Dutchess of Burgundy. Lear. Nothing: - I've sworn. Bur. I'm forry then, you have so loft a father, That you must lose a husband. Cor. Peace be with Burgundy, Since that respects of fortune are his love, I shall not be his wife. France. Fairest Cordelia, that art most rich, being poor, Most choice, forsaken; and most lov'd, despis'd! Thee and thy virtues here I seize upon : Be't lawful, I take up what's cast away. Gods, Gods! 'tis strange, that from their cold'st neglect My love should kindle to enflam'd respect. Thy dow'rless daughter, King, thrown to my chance, Is Queen of us, of ours, and our fair France: Thou lofest here, a better where to find. Lear. Thou hast her, France; let her be thine, for we Have no fuch daughter; nor shall ever fee [Flourish. Exeunt Lear and Burgundy. France. Bid farewel to your fisters. Cor. Ye jewels of our father, with wash'd eyes Cordelia leaves you: I know what you are, Your faults, as they are nam'd. Love well our father: To your profeffing bosoms I commit him; But yet, alas! stood I within his grace, So farewel to you both. Reg. Prescribe not us our duty. Gon. Let your study Be to content your lord, who hath receiv'd you Who covers faults, at last with shame derides. France. Come, my fair Cordelia. [Exeunt France and Cor. Gon. Sifter, it is not little I've to say, (2) And well are worth the Want that you have wanted.] This is a very obscure Expression, and must be piec'd out with an implied Sense, to be understood. This I take to be the Poet's Meaning, ftript of the Jingle which makes it dark : "You well deserve to meet with that Want of Love from your Husband, which you have profess'd to want for our "Father." Reg. Reg. That's certain, and with you; next month with us. Gon. You fee how full of changes his age is, the observation we have made of it hath not been little; he always lov'd our fifter most, and with what poor judgment he hath now cast her off, appears too grossly. Reg. 'Tis the in infirmity of his age; yet he hath ever but flenderly known himself. Gon. The best and foundest of his time hath been but rash; then must we look, from his age, to receive not alone the imperfections of long-engrafted condition, but therewithal the unruly waywardness, that infirm and cholerick years bring with them. Reg. Such unconstant starts are we like to have from him, as this of Kent's banishment. Gon. There is further complement of leave-taking between France and him; pray you, let us hit together: if our father carry authority with fuch disposition as he bears, this last furrender of his will but offend us. Reg. We shall further think of it. Gon. We must do something, and i' th' heat. [Exeunt. SCENE changes to a Castle belonging to the Earl of Glo'ster. Edm. T Enter EDMUND, with a Letter. Hou, Nature, art my Goddess; to thy law Stand in the plague of custom, and permit (3) The Nicety of Nations] This is Mr. Pape's Reading, ex Catbedra; for it has the Sanction of none of the Copies, that I have met with. They all, indeed, give it Us, by a foolish Corruption, ---- the Curiofity of Nations; but I some time ago prov'd, that our Author's Word was, Curtefie. Nor must we forget that Tenure in our Laws, whereby fome Lands are held by the Curtefie of England. L Lag |